Towards the beginning of most of the gospels we find accounts of Jesus inviting a variety of people to “follow him.” They literally followed Him on all sorts of experiences for approximately 3 years. Of course we know of many of these experiences because of accounts in the gospels.
Matthew records some of the disciples travels with Jesus in Matthew 15 when Jesus visits tyre and Sidon. Before heading north to Caesarea Philippi in Chapter 16. On their travels with Jesus the disciples witnessed Jesus perform many miracles. During their trip to Tyre and Sidon a Canaanite woman came to Jesus crying out for mercy and begging Jesus to set her daughter free from demonic suffering. Shortly after returning to the region of Galilee huge crowds brought their blind, sick, lame and mute friends and family to Jesus and He healed them. Later compelled with compassion Jesus miraculously multiplied 7 loaves of bread and a few small fish so the crowd of more than 4000 had enough to eat before their long walks home.
In chapter 16 we read that Jesus took the disciples on another long walk north to Caesarea Philippi.
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.”
It seems a simple enough story at face value, but there are a couple of things that are worth unpacking a little further. Why did Jesus walk the disciples 25 miles north of their home towns to ask them this question? Why did Jesus use a metaphor of a rock? And why does Jesus declare the gates of hades won’t prevail?
Caesarea Philippi had a certain reputation. In ancient Israel it had become one of the centres for Baal worship. Later it had become a centre for the worship of many greek gods, so much so for a while before it was assimilated into the Roman Empire it had been called Panias after the greek god of the forest Pan. After becoming Roman territory it was renamed Caesarea Philippi in honour of Caesar and Herod Phillip. However, it remained a centre for the worship of the greek gods and involved all sorts of vulgar rituals, often involving shrine prostitution, sexual activity with animals and wild feasts. So what was Jesus doing there? Notably one of the documented central beliefs of those who engaged in these pagan practices in that city was that their greek gods spent their winter in the underworld (hades) and returned to the earth in the spring. The city was built beside Mount Hermon which had a system of caves and natural springs which natives to Caesarea Philippi believed to be the gateway through which the gods travelled between worlds, the gates of hades. Jesus had literally walked them 25 miles to deliver an epic object lesson.
And there is more …
Simon is the first to speak up and confidently answer “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” To which we read Jesus replied “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.” Rocks are of course immovable, stable and hardwearing all of which I have heard many a sermon about but was Jesus hinting at more than that? Isaiah 28 (in the middle of a bit of a rant) Isaiah prophecies of a Messiah (a saviour) who will be a cornerstone lain in Zion for a sure foundation. Based on the education culture of that time and the scriptural rhythms in synagogues of those days it is highly likely Simon was familiar with Messianic prophecies and more than likely well aware of Isaiah 28. Therefore I would imagine Simon was somewhat surprised when Jesus replied “I tell you, that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church.” Jesus is essentially suggesting He wants Peter to be part of the fulfilment of His Kingdom on earth. You want me to be like you?
I wonder if any of the other disciples minds wandered back to the moment Peter had stepped out of the boat and walked with Jesus on the water, before sinking and nearly drowning? What was the problem, was it that Simon as He was still known back then took his eyes off Jesus or doubted in the power of Jesus or had limited faith? Or did he simply wrestle with the question does Jesus really want us to and can we really do what He does?
Long may our world come alive as we accept Jesus’ innovation to do what He did!